James Pawley |
*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy ***** Dear Confocal Listers, The UBC Live-Cell Course was begun over 16 years ago to offer a Woods-Hole-type course on the "other" coast, based upon the 2nd Edition of the Handbook of Biological Confocal Microscopy. Its goals were to provide students with more time to actually use the instruments and to teach scientists how to view living cells rather than dead ones. Its success in achieving these goals has been acknowledged by feedback from the hundreds of students from 43 countries who have attended over the years, many of whom are frequent contributors to this list. While enrollment was reduced by the financial crash of 2008, sufficient applications arrived before the March 15 deadline in 2009, 2010 and 2011 for me to proceed with final arrangements for the Course. However, this year, I have received less than one half of the necessary applicants required to make a successful course possible. More surprisingly, there was no last minute flurry of applications in the week around the deadline. (Note: If there is a problem at our end and anyone tried to apply but failed, please let me know personally.) The Live-Cell Course course is self-sustaining. Student tuition covers only faculty travel and living expenses and 3 temporary personnel to run the office, the food service and and the cells lab. But it succeeds because the manufacturers make generous donations of supplies and spend tens of thousands of dollars to transport microscopes and personnel to Vancouver. I can only ask them to make this financial sacrifice if we can provide actively interested students. If 10-15 additional applications are not obtained by April 15th, 2012, the course will not be financially viable and must be canceled for this year. This ListServer and your personal recommendations have been the primary method of reaching out to the community. Many former students watch this list and I'm asking that you please spread the word to anyone who you think might benefit from this course and encourage them to apply within the next 2 weeks. Please share your own experience. I understand the level of austerity most institutions are facing. The discretionary budgets often used to send students, staff and faculty to courses such as this have been cut. Research funding is stretched tighter than ever. The application URL is <http://3dcourse.ubc.ca/2012/public.php?page=apply>http://3dcourse.ubc.ca/2012/public.php?page=apply Other info at <http://3dcourse.ubc.ca/2012/public.php?page=overview>http://3dcourse.ubc.ca/2012/public.php?page=overview Thank you for your help, Jim Pawley -- James and Christine Pawley, 21 N. Prospect Ave. Madison, WI, 53726 Phone: 608-238-3953 <[hidden email]> |
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